There are three significant districts to be found within the Breede River Valley and these are Worcester, Robertson and Swellendam. Worcester holds the accolade of producing more wine than any other district in the whole of South Africa, but so far Robertson is where the finest wines have emerged from.
Whites are more widespread but reds are generally more welcome on the international market. Shiraz has been found to perform well and produce full-bodied wines of great character. There is variety in the region, with sparkling and dessert wines both ably produced.
Shiraz and Chardonnay have so far made the most enticing wines, but Chenin Blanc has an important role to play and Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Riesling and Colombard have met with success. Muskadel and Muscat are used to make sweet wines.
The Breede River Valley region relies on the eponymous river and its tributaries for the irrigation it needs. Rainfall is simply not enough on its own to succour the vines. With this taken care of, vines that will tolerate heat have nothing to fear. Each tributary of the main river has a micro-climate of its own allowing for local character to come through in the estate-crafted wines.